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LIVING ROOM: BEFORE AND AFTER

January 29, 2016

If you want to know how fast time flies, plan a makeover.

I have been planning a living room refresh since November. But there's something about not having a deadline, that drags a project for so long, that you almost forget you started it. Well finally, I am happy to say it's done!

Let's take a look at the 'Before'.

This was my old living room. There are 2 other chairs that are not pictured in the shot.

And here is the new room below. Finally "done".

The biggest change here has been adding this fluffy white rug. You probably can't tell from the pictures , but being part of an open-floor plan this room was screaming for a rug.

It's the Diamond Shag Rug from RugsUSA, and we love it!

My old coffee table was the IKEA HEMNES, and although I loved it, I wanted something lighter and modern. Imagine my excitement when I found this guy on Craigslist.

I was thrilled to have it! It looks like I am slowly getting on the mid-century wagon!

That btw, is an Australian-made boomerang. Isn't it beautiful? It is a gift from my brother-in-law.

Both the blue pillows are new, I made them using fabric from Joanns. I don't have a sewing machine and I usually use Fabric Glue for my pillows. But this time, I hand stitched it. And unless you have the patience of a Kindergarten teacher, I don't recommend it. I am so hung over from the experience that I can't even look at another needle.

The Chunky knit throw is from JC Penney. The massive fringes add a touch of 'boho', don't you think?

Although I love gallery walls, I was getting tired of my old one. I wanted a cleaner, minimal look and there was no way I was gonna achieve that with my busy gallery wall.

The toughest part of the whole process, was making that art above the couch. I know it is not everyone's cup of tea (being so graphic) , but after repeatedly failing at creating something abstract and remotely decent looking, I almost gave up.

What finally got me going was David Bromstad's advice to beginners for making art for your home "Grab a few colors, use painter's tape to tape off a cool pattern or object like an arrow, abstract heart (or even just a square or triangle) but position it so that it's a little off-center. Keep it clean; keep it graphic; keep it simple."

So I kept it clean, graphic and simple. It helped that I am generally into anything graphic and geometric. And this one, inspired from here, here and here finally fit the general tone of the room. That one is prototype no# 2451, I think. Or atleast, it felt like that.

It's simple but dramatic, and ties in all the blue. The whole point of the artwork was to add color to the walls, since I can't paint. (Being a renter and all. Boo!)

My husband doesn't care for it, but hopefully he comes around. I love it, it makes me calm compared to the busy-ness of my old gallery wall.

Anyway, the gallery wall is not retired yet. It is in a 'better place'. And I will tell you all about it in another post. :)

The side table is from those days, when I would paint and mod-podge everything. I decided to resurrect it for a while!

I also added a little geometric art, inspired by DestinationEichler's DIY accent wall. (Did you notice my obsession with triangles and diamonds? )

Now every time I walk into the room, I feel happy. It's a little more pulled-together. It's done.

This is my first time doing an intentional makeover. In the past, I always felt it was a bad idea to tackle a room in one go. But I enjoyed this process, and would do it again. Just make sure you give yourself enough time. Rush, but don't hurry. Does that make sense?

For now, the TV wall is empty. I don't know if I should add anything, and I would love to hear your suggestions.

Don't forget to say hi to my plants soaking up all the sunshine. They are touchy that way.

So, that's it guys! What do you think? I would love to hear from you in the comments!

Cheers,

Vinaya

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6
comments

Ohh, what a nice refresh! okay, so 1. i LOVE that coffee table. What a score! 2. Nice job on the art work...I've been there and tape and canvas is the easiest approach to DIY art! 3. The blanket...so comfy...want it! As for above the TV, that's a tough one...if you want to stay clean and minimalist I would say add nothing. If you must have something there, maybe a row of small prints, or if you like saying decals, maybe something there? Other option is to mount the TV. NICE JOB though...enjoy your new space!